News for social, fiscal & national security conservatives who believe in God, family & the USA. Upholding the rights granted by God & guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, traditional family values, "republican" principles / ideals, transparent & limited "smaller" government, free markets, lower taxes, due process of law, liberty & individual freedom. All content approval rests with the ARRA News Service Editor. Opinions are those of the authors. While varied positions are reported, beliefs & principles remain fixed. No revenue is generated for this site - no paid ads accepted - no payments for articles. Fair Use doctrine is posted & used.Editor/Founder: Bill Smith, Ph.D. [aka: OzarkGuru & 2010 AFP National Blogger of the Year] Follow @arraContact: editor@arranewsservice.com (Pub. Since July, 2006)Home Page

One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics
is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. -- Plato
(429-347 BC)

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Griffin: USGS Nat Gas Report an ‘Inconvenient Truth for Those Who Seek to Ban Fracking’

Report: ‘No effects from gas-production activities’ found in groundwater samples

Rep. Tim Griffin

LITTLE ROCK – Congressman Tim Griffin (AR-02) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) released a report earlier today on the safety of natural gas production in Arkansas:“Today, I was briefed by the USGS on their study entitled, Shallow Groundwater Quality and Geochemistry in the Fayetteville Shale Gas-Production Area, North-Central Arkansas, 2011 [pdf]. Arkansas is an energy-rich state, and the Fayetteville Shale play has helped fuel our state’s economy. Today’s report concludes that there is ‘no indication of systemic, regional effects on shallow groundwater quality from shale-gas production.’ The report is additional evidence that natural gas production is safe for our environment and communities. While we must always seek to ensure that energy development is done responsibly, this report is an ‘inconvenient truth’ for those who seek to ban fracking."The USGS study’s conclusion was that “water quality [in the Fayetteville Shale play] is derived from… natural processes with no effects from gas-production activities.” [emphasis added]

The purpose of the study was to “describe general water quality and geochemistry of shallow groundwater in the Fayetteville Shale gas-production area in north-central Arkansas and evaluate the potential effects, if any, from activities related to shale-gas drilling and production.” This yearlong study examined the water quality of 127 shallow domestic wells in the Fayetteville Shale play.

Two of the study’s authors are hydrologists with the USGS; the remaining authors are researchers at Duke University. The report was prepared in cooperation with the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission, Duke University, Faulkner County, Shirley Community Development Corporation, and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and the USGS Groundwater Resources Program. Read more about the report here.

The Fayetteville Shale play spans approximately 4,000 square miles and is one of the most productive shale plays in the country. It is estimated that the Fayetteville Shale contains up to 20 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

According to the University of Arkansas, the average annual pay in the oil and gas extraction industry in Arkansas was $74,555 in 2010, twice the average pay of all industries in the state. Further, the Fayetteville Shale play supports over 20,000 jobs and has added $12 billion to Arkansas’s economy since 2008.
------------Congressman Tim Griffin was re-elected as the representative of Arkansas’s Second Congressional District. For the 113th Congress, he is a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means while also serving as an Assistant Whip for the majority.Tags:USGS, Natural Gas Report, Inconvenient Truth, Fracking, Rep Tim GriffinTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Comments by contributing authors or other sources do not necessarily reflect the position the editor, other contributing authors, sources, readers, or commenters. No contributors, or editors are paid for articles, images, cartoons, etc. While having reported on and promoting the beliefs associated with the ARRA, this blog/site is not controlled by nor funded by the ARRA. This site/blog does not advertise for money or services nor does it solicit funding for its support.

Fair Use: This site/blog may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of political, human rights, economic, democracy, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as provided for in section Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 of the US Copyright Law. Per said section, the material on this site/blog is distributed without profit to readers to view for the expressed purpose of viewing the included information for research, educational, or satirical purposes. Any person/entity seeking to use copyrighted material shared on this site/blog for purposes that go beyond "fair use," must obtain permission from the copyright owner.